Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1887-11-03
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oI did not give it to him! He stole it
out of the mothers album. He did! he
did! he did!' The speakers voice rose
with each repetition and her checks got
redder and redder. 81 must know better
than you, Rosie"
"Oh, of course; you do not call it Civ
ing, but l do. You were standing by, L
suppose, when he took itf Your eyes
were cast down and you put your most
becoming pout on? And now that Tom
Crichton, with mis- ten thousand year,
falls in love with you and wants to marry
you, you are afraid poor Geoff Hamilton
will show him your photograph and talk
about your silly letters and make mis-
chief. You incorrigible little hirt! 1t
would serve you right to be treated as
you have treated others. How many
men have you made fools oe, wonder
A dozen?"
The speaker spoke sarcastically; her
nearer was beginning to cry. The girls
were sisters, both young, both pretty and
charming; but Lefty, the younger, was
lovely, brainless little firt. The elder,
Rosalind, had plenty of brains, but scarce
ly experience enough to enable her
to use them iudiciously. She was brill
liant creature to look at-warm hearted
and impulsive to fault. There was
nothing she would not do or dare for one
she loved, and she dearly loved her be-
witching little sister, and rejoiced with
all her heart when the genial, good look
ing young Squire" Tom Crichton, who
came into the neighborhoOd to take pos
session of an unexpected inheritance, fell
in love at first sight with Lefty and pro-
posed to her after weeks acquaintance.
But Tom was quick tempered, jeal-
GUS young fellow, and he had already
spoken his mind to Miss Lefty about her
love Of Irritation. Shefpromised to mend
her ways, but it was mdre than she could
do to keep her promise when temptation
came in alluring guise.
Mireford was garrison town, and one
of the gallant Dashshire regiment, Geof-
frey Hamilton by name, had quickly sue
cumbed to the destinations of the
Younger of the two daughters of the
widowed Mrs. Maitland, who lived in a
pretty cottage on the London road, about
half a mile or so from Mireford. It was
in vain that Rosalind warned the heed
less young coquette that she was treating
poor young Hamilton disgracefully. But
in good truth the young man was very
we'll able to take care of himself. He was
not very deeply wounded, but as soon as
Crichton appeared upon the scene he
made up his mind to punish Miss Lefty,
if possible, for her tricks by pretending
to be broken hearted and desperately
jealous.
He was, however, sufficiently in love to
be able to put fair amount of serious
ness into his reproaches; and when he
fatty refused to give up the photograph
Lefty had given him, and one or two
absurd little notes she had written to him,
and glove he had purloined, the silly
girl was thoroughly frightened and firmly
pursuaded that "Tom" would hear all
about it and break off his engagement
Had Rosalind but known how slightly
Hamilton's heart was touched she would
have quickly laughed Lefty out of her
fright; but when the girl solemnly as
sured her that Geoff was so much in love
and so angry and jealous that she knew
he meant TO have his revenge, the sensible
elder sister forgot thai she was not living
in a melodramatic age, and, moreover,
she quite overlooked the fact that
Hamilton, being gentleman, it was not
likely that he would act as If he were a
cad
So, on the whole, things were looking
very serious, when, for the fftieth time
at least, Rosalind tried to make her sister
confess whether she had given Geoff the
photograph, or whether he had taken it
from Mrs. Maitland's album. She had
her own opinion on the subject, SO it was
really waste of time to cross question the
naughty little girl, who was anxious to
keep peace between the old love and the
Few.
Il think you are very unkind, Rosie"
she said at last, sand if you do not
believe me how can expect Tom to do
it?"
ST do not expect Tom to do it! You
talk as if believing in you were gym
nastic feat. l know what should do in
Toms place if another man told me he
had photograph of the girl l meant to
marry, and gloves and things
"He has only one glove and no thingsw
interrupted Lefty, whimpering. "Don't
exaggerate; and / gave Tom two photo
graphs-one sitting and one standing
and he has heaps and heaps of letters!
Il hope the spelling is all right"
81 hope so. He is not much of a spell
or himself"
''He spelt 'adored' with two DIS the 9th
er day-'My addored one.' 1t looked SO
funny"
s'Mr. Hamilton is away just now. is he
not?" Rosalind asked presently.
'sYes. He went to his sisters wedding.
I wish 1t was to his own.'
ssHe does not live in the barracks. T
Think"
No; he has rooms in the Diamond
Crescent, No. Is, and Gerard Townsend
lives with him."
About an hour later young !sdy with
3 macintosh on her arm knocked at the
door of Is Diamond Crescent. She had
evidently been walking fast, fer her